WireGaugeCalc Free calculator · NEC cited · works offline
Ground Wire Size For Pole Light
Ground wire size for pole light is fast with WireGaugeCalc, since the tool sizes the equipment grounding conductor straight from your breaker rating.
You enter the overcurrent device amps, the conductor material, and the run, so the calculator returns the matching ground size.
That means you can pull the right green wire to the pole base on the first trip.
Open the calculatorSmallest conductor whose ampacity meets the load, NEC Table 310.16. Field aid only, verify against the current NEC and your local authority having jurisdiction.
How the equipment grounding conductor for a pole light is sized
The equipment grounding conductor follows the breaker, not the load, so a 20 amp circuit takes a 12 AWG copper ground per NEC 250.122.
A larger pole run on a 30 or 40 amp circuit steps the ground up to 10 AWG copper as the table requires.
The tool reads the rating you enter and returns the table value, so you skip the lookup.
What WireGaugeCalc checks for the pole light ground
The tool weighs the inputs that change the ground wire size for a pole light:
- Breaker or fuse rating in amps, which drives NEC 250.122
- Copper or aluminum conductor, since aluminum sizes up
- Whether the feeder ungrounded conductors were upsized for voltage drop
- Burial run length to the pole base
- The minimum 14 AWG copper floor for small circuits
One app for every NEC calculation
WireGaugeCalc keeps the calculations you reach for most in one place:
- Voltage drop and wire sizing for any run
- Conduit fill for EMT, PVC, and RMC
- Box fill and junction box sizing
- Ampacity and temperature derating
- Motor circuit and load calculations
- Conduit bend offsets and saddles
Built for the field, works offline
The whole app runs on your phone, so it keeps working in a basement, an attic, or a job site with no signal.
There is no account to create and nothing to load. Open it, run the number, and get back to work.
- No signup and no signal needed
- Answers in a tap, not a spreadsheet
- Same tool on phone, tablet, and desktop
Every result cites the NEC article
Each answer shows the table or formula it came from, so you can check the method and learn the code as you go.
That makes the app useful on the job and during exam prep, since the reasoning is right next to the number.
Switch the code year your job runs on
Jurisdictions adopt the NEC at different times, so you can match the calculation to the code in force:
- NEC 2017, 2020, and 2023 tables
- Copper and aluminum conductors
- 60, 75, and 90 degree C terminations
- Single-phase and three-phase systems
Run the number, then get back to work
Stop flipping through a paper book or hopping between calculator sites. Enter your values, read the code-cited answer, and move on. Free to use, no signup.
Open the calculatorFrequently asked questions
What ground wire goes with a 20 amp pole light circuit?
A 20 amp circuit uses a 12 AWG copper equipment grounding conductor under NEC 250.122. Always confirm against the current NEC table and your local authority having jurisdiction before you wire it.
If I upsize the hot wires for voltage drop, does the ground change?
Yes, when you increase the ungrounded conductors above the table minimum, NEC 250.122(B) requires the equipment grounding conductor to grow in proportion. The calculator applies that adjustment when you flag the upsize.
Is WireGaugeCalc free to use?
Yes. Every calculator is free to run with no signup. A paid tier adds saved projects, PDF reports, and extra code years, but the core math stays free.
Does it work without internet?
Yes. The app runs on your device, so it keeps working with no signal on a job site, in a basement, or in an attic.
Are the results code accurate?
Results follow published NEC tables and standard formulas, and each answer shows the article it came from. It is a field aid, not a stamp of approval, so verify against the current code and your local authority before you wire anything.
Which NEC code year does it use?
You can switch between NEC 2017, 2020, and 2023, since jurisdictions adopt the code at different times. Pick the year your job runs on.